After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office for a year and a half, before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I will be working closely with my father on bankruptcy, real estate and other civil cases in the Bloomington, Illinois area.

Don B. Pioletti, Jr. has practiced law for over 35 years. He graduated from the George Mason University Law School in Virginia in 1976. He then served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General and later as an Assistant State's Attorney. He now practices at Pioletti & Pioletti in Eureka, IL doing general practice law.

Jim Finegan attended the University of Illinois for undergraduate school and Northwestern University for Law School. He moved to Bloomington, Illinois after graduating law school and he has over 40 years experience. He specializes in bankruptcy, real estate, and civil litigation.

After attending the University of Illinois for Undergraduate school I attended Northern Illinois University School of Law. I was a Prosecutor for the McLean County State's Attorney's office before leaving the office to practice with my father Jim Finegan. I specialize in Criminal Defense, including DUIs, felony cases, drug cases, orders of protection and expungements and will use my background as a Prosecutor to help you defend your case.

A native of central Illinois, Attorney Joe C. Pioletti was born and raised in Eureka, IL. Joe received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from Eureka College where he also minored in Spanish. Joe then received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University School of Law. While in law school Joe worked in the Domestic Violence Advocacy Clinic and was a three-time recipient of the Charter Class Campaign for Academic Excellence Scholarship. At Pioletti & Pioletti Joe represents a diverse range of clients in several areas of law including criminal defense, bankruptcy, and civil...

Based in Decatur, Illinois and serving clients throughout Central Illinois and Western New York, I am a different kind of lawyer. I love value billing and flat fee arrangements. I hate billing by the hour. I embrace technology and use it to make my practice more effective. I worry about my clients, not their fees. I offer a valuable service to my clients, but I don't act like I'm better because of it. I'm not your typical lawyer. My practice focuses on elder law, estate planning, probate, special education, debt, and real estate. Can't make it to the office?...

Shayla Louise Maatuka transitioned her private practice into the partnership of Dodd & Maatuka. She currently serves as managing partner for the firm. She combines her expertise as an entrepreneur - successfully establishing four businesses - with the practice of law, concentrating on civil and commercial litigation, personal injury, as well as business litigation. Her passion for the community helps others achieve their goals through entrepreneurship. She currently sits on the boards of Visit Champaign County and Mettler Studios, Inc. and formerly sat on the boards of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association, the Executive Club of...

Patrick Fitzgerald begin his legal career with Meyer Capel in 1987 as a law clerk. Now, as a shareholder with the firm, he concentrates in real estate.
Mr. Fitzgerald is a 1989 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law where he earned a spot on the Dean's List. In 1986, he received a bachelor of arts in economics, also from the University of Illinois.
Mr. Fitzgerald is a member of the Champaign County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. Further, he is actively involved with the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce as well as the Champaign...

EXPERIENCE
Mr. Davis’ experience ranges from helping clients with all issues surrounding their start-up venture to assisting clients with the purchase or sale of multi-million dollar businesses.
Mr. Davis concentrates his legal practice in the following areas:
•representing corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships in connection with the legal matters these entities may face, including initial incorporation/organization, corporate governance issues, drafting and review of contracts and leases, licensing issues, securities issuances and debt financing transactions
•representing clients with the sale or purchase of a business, including due diligence matters and the negotiation and documentation of the transaction
•representing clients, both lenders and borrowers, in debt...

Jenny Park always knew what she wanted from a career. She wanted to help people. But it was not until a few years after earning her undergraduate degree that she decided the field of law would offer her the best opportunities to do just that.
When Jenny first entered the University of Illinois as an undergrad, it was with the intention of becoming a medical doctor. In 1993, she graduated from the U of I with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Then, she took some time off from school to reassess her career goals. While working as a paralegal during...

Randy Green is a shareholder in Meyer Capel’s Business and Real Estate Practice Groups. His unique experience allows him to serve not only as legal counsel, but as a trusted business advisor to his clients.
Experience
Mr. Green has represented both public and private companies ranging from top U.S. financial institutions to single-member LLCs in a variety of transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, private equity investments, financing, entity formation, franchising, and leasing. He has also helped organizational and individual clients sell, purchase and lease various types of real estate across the U.S.
Before he began his legal career, Mr....

Large corporations and small companies alike need sound legal advice from attorneys who understand the demands and dynamics of the business environment. Clients of Meyer Capel will find these skills in Matt C. Deering.
A native of Champaign-Urbana and a graduate of Champaign Central High School, Mr. Deering holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Kentucky and a juris doctorate from Ohio Northern University. He joined the firm in 1994 as a law clerk and became a full-time associate in 1996 and a shareholder on January 1, 2003.
In addition to handling general corporate and business law concerns,...

For most people, the purchase of a home is the largest single investment they will ever make, and naturally, they're nervous about it. They want someone trustworthy to lean on, someone knowledgeable to handle the paperwork, someone well-versed in legal matters to represent them at the closing. They want someone like Harold Adams.
With his dual background in finance and law, Harold brings a unique combination of skills to the table. In addition to a solid foundation in residential and commercial real estate transactions, Harold is well-grounded in general business matters, including the foundation of new corporations and partnerships and the...

David B. Sholem joined Meyer Capel in 1978 and was named as a shareholder of the firm in 1982. He graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Mr. Sholem attended the University of Illinois College of Law and Case Western Reserve University’s School of Law where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1978. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1978. Mr. Sholem’s professional affiliations include Champaign County (Illinois) Bar Association (former President), Illinois State Bar Association (Real Estate Section) and American Bar Association.
David Sholem has represented a number of real estate developers and...

Ward F. McDonald brings a wealth of experience in real estate, banking and commercial law to the clients of Meyer Capel. His background includes 13 years as CEO of Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., a title insurer with multi-state operations, and 25 years as an attorney in private practice. Over the course of his career, Ward has handled numerous transactions in the $1-100 million range for commercial and residential real estate developments, including sales, acquisitions, refinancing and consolidations.
Ward holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Land Economics from the University of Illinois as well as his Juris...

Since joining the firm in 1970, Francis J. (Jerry) Jahn has been responsible for building and expanding the business practice of Meyer Capel. He served as President of the firm from January 1999 until December 2010.
A 1967 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, Jerry was winner of the Frederick M. Green Moot Court Competition and the Horner Cup and Waterman Prize for Excellence in Moot Court Competition as a law student. He was also recipient of the Harno Scholarship.
Jerry is a member of the Illinois State and Champaign County Bar Associations. He served on CCBA's board of...

Planning and Estate
John H. Elder brings a special degree of experience to the clients of Meyer Capel. John works with his clients to deal with the tax issues of estate planning, but has always realized that this is only one component of the planning process. It is very important that an attorney work with the family members to learn about the needs and personalities of the various individuals and to develop a plan that meets the family goals and objectives. Some of the greatest qualities of an estate planning attorney are compassion, trust, and communication skills and it is only...

Forrest Heyman joined the firm as a summer associate in 2011 and became an associate attorney following his admission to the Illinois Bar in 2012. His areas of practice include business planning, corporate transactions, real estate, and estate planning and administration.
Forrest is a locally-raised attorney with an international perspective. Hailing from Paxton, Illinois, Forrest attended Butler University from 2005 to 2008, where he earned a bachelor of science in economics, with honors. Following a semester in Hong Kong, Forrest was named Sigma Nu National Man of the Year and joined The Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, where he...

Real estate refers to land, as well as anything permanently attached to the land, such as buildings and other structures, and covers more than just the drafting of contracts for the purchase and sale of property. Both federal and state laws regulate real estate transactions. The Federal Fair Housing Act, for example, prohibits discrimination in real estate transactions on account of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Many states have enacted similar legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of certain characteristics.

Attorneys in this field may handle leasing issues, landlord-tenant disputes, eviction proceedings and homeowner association (HOA) problems. Other matters within this practice area include title disputes, mortgages, covenants, easements, and equitable servitudes. Many real estate issues can affect both commercial and individual renters and landlords. Real estate lawyers who represent commercial interests may also focus on land use, zoning, environmental law, or eminent domain issues.

Some states provide a certification for lawyers who have demonstrated experience and competency in the practice of real estate law. These attorneys must meet certain educational, experience, and examination requirements to receive the certification as a specialist.

Deed: The legal document that transfers the ownership of real property from one party to another.

Mortgage: A mortgage is a document signed by a borrower when a loan is made that gives the lender a right to take possession of the property if the borrower fails to repay the loan.